Various types of tools are used to form wellbores in subterranean formations for recovering hydrocarbons such as oil and gas lying beneath the surface. Examples of such tools include rotary drill bits, hole openers, reamers, and coring bits. Two major categories of rotary drill bits include fixed cutter drill bits, some of which may be referred to in the art as polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bits, drag bits, or matrix drill bits; and roller cone drill bits, some of which may be referred to in the art as rock bits. A fixed cutter drill bit typically includes multiple blades each having multiple cutters, such as the PDC cutters on a PDC bit.
In typical drilling applications, a rotary drill bit may be used to drill through various levels or types of geological formations. Typical formations may generally have a relatively low compressive strength in the upper portions (e.g., lesser drilling depths) of the formation and a relatively high compressive strength in the lower portions (e.g., greater drilling depths) of the formation. Thus, it typically becomes increasingly more difficult to drill at increasingly greater depths. Further, during drilling operations, the cutters of a drill bit may experience wear. Cutters that incur excessive wear may be removed from a drill bit and may be replaced by either new or refurbished cutters for further drilling.